High Wind and Strong Wind in California, March 12 to 13, 2019

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA
340 PM PDT Tue Mar 12 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
Strong post frontal winds are likely through the Kern County
mountains and passes this afternoon through early tomorrow
morning. Light snow is likely tonight through Wednesday morning
along the I-5 through the Grapevine. A ridge of high pressure
will keep the forecast area dry and with average to above average
temperatures Wednesday through the end of the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
As of 20Z, the visible satellite imagery shows a short wave
trough situated over the northern Great Basin with a cold front
extending southwestward across the northern San Joaquin Valley.
Behind the frontal boundary, the pressure gradients continue to
increase with a 9 mb pressure difference between SFO and LAS.
With no surprise, winds are now starting to ramp up behind the
front as well as into the Kern County Mountains. Winds will
temporarily increase tonight in the Valley with gusts up to 25 mph,
but will remain below advisory criteria. However, strong west to
northwesterly winds up to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph through
Wednesday morning are likely in Kern County, where a High Wind
Warning remains in effect until 5 am. The greatest impacts are
going to be below passes and canyons, including and along Highways
14, 58, 178, and U.S. 395.

In addition to the strong winds,cold post-frontal upslope flow
will combine with enough moisture to produce up to two inches of
snow on the I-5 through the Grapevine and Tehachapi passes above
3Kft. Due to the travel impacts through the Grapevine, a Winter
Weather Advisory has been issued from 11 PM PST tonight until 8 AM
PST Wednesday. With the departing system, Wednesday high and low
temperatures will continue to be 2-5 degrees below seasonal
averages.

By Wednesday evening, a ridge of high pressure will start to build
into the western U.S through late Thursday afternoon. Thus, after
a long stretch of below average temperatures across the CWA, high
and low temperatures on Thursday will return to seasonal averages.
On Friday, long-range models bring in a weak system. Moisture
does not look very impressive, so chances of any precipitation
remain low while temperatures remaining around seasonal normals.
From Saturday through Monday, there is decent model agreement on a
ridge of high pressure building into the Western U.S. As a
result, temperatures through this period will be 5 to 10 degrees
above average and conditions will remain dry. By Tuesday, long
range models begin to diverge with the GFS showing a system moving
into the area while the Euro Model keeps this system far off the
CA coast.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR conditions will prevail at MCE, MER, FAT, VIS, and BFL through
at least the next 24 hours. Strong, gusty west to northwest winds
are expected in a portion of the Kern County mountains and desert
from 00z to 12z Wednesday.

&&

.AIR QUALITY ISSUES...
None.

&&

.CERTAINTY...

The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is high.
The level of certainty for days 3 through 7 is high.

Certainty levels include low...medium...and high. Please visit
www.weather.gov/hnx/certainty.html for additional information
an/or to provide feedback.

&&

.HNX Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
High Wind Warning until 5 AM PDT Wednesday CAZ095-098-099.

Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 8 AM PDT
Wednesday ABOVE 3000 FEET FOR THE CAZ095.

&&

public...BSO/CMc
avn/fw...Molina
synopsis...BSO/CMc

weather.gov/hanford